Should you use a magnifying glass on solar panels?

There are quite a number of reasons to use a magnifying glass on solar panels. If you are curious to discover better ways to increase the amount of energy drawn from solar panels, using a magnifying glass on a solar panel could be an exciting path to explore.

How does concentrating photovoltaics work?

This approach cuts the materials cost for concentrating photovoltaics. However, as the sun moves across the sky, light hits solar panels at different angles, changing the amount of electricity they can produce. Concentrating photovoltaic panels have to sway back and forth in order to keep sunlight focused on the small cells ( ClimateWire, Jan. 21).

Is solar power a one-size-fits-all practice?

Still, solar power is not a one-size-fits-all practice – as evidenced by the difference between rooftop panels and utility-scale plants – and perhaps the greatest variance within the sector is between photovoltaic (PV) panels and concentrated solar power (CSP).

How does a magnifying glass work?

The lens of the magnifying glass focuses the sun’s rays into a smaller, brighter point. But with a magnifying glass, the focal point moves as the sun does. Vaidya and Solgaard found a way to create a lens that takes rays from all angles but always concentrates light at the same output position.

Are thin-film solar cells more efficient than multi-junction solar cells?

Thin-film cells tend to be cheaper but also less efficient. Multi-junction solar cells, on the other hand, are setting efficiency records around the world, but remain very expensive ( ClimateWire, Oct. 20, 2014).

How efficient are solar panels?

A combination of technological limitations and the inflexibility of a system that does not move as the sun moves has combined to create solar panels whose efficiency often hovers around 20%, with the most efficient panels for home use boasting efficiencies of just 22%.